Top 5 Gambling Movies Featuring Actors from the UK
Movies that feature gambling are popular in the UK and it's not just James Bond movies that feature this pastime. Below, we are going to look at the top 5 movies that not only feature gambling, but also actors and actresses from the United Kingdom. However, before we begin, we would like to share our recommendations for the best online casinos in the UK for anyone who would like to scratch the gambling itch while playing online.
Snatch
Guy Ritchie's noir movie Snatch has just about everything you could hope for in a gambling movie. It explores the seedy criminal underground world, and you also have a lot of big characters. Brick Top and Brad Pitt help to bring this movie to life, and you also have an interwoven storyline that's brilliantly done.
The epic soundtrack to this movie helps to keep the action going and the main character, Turkish, who is played by the one and only Jason Statham, tries his best to stay alive as card games and boxing matches unfold.
As this movie has a strong gambling theme, it's not hard to imagine that numerous casino games are shown. There are many scenes showing the main characters playing poker, but you also have a strong presence or roulette games as well. Benicio Del Toro's character is a gambling addict and this is seen throughout the movie.
As for the storyline, Turkish and his partner soon get wrapped up in the criminal underworld, as they find that the outcome of various boxing matches is often influenced by bribery. Brad Pitt comes into the fold as Mickey, a sinewy young lad who shocks everyone by bringing down the top-ranked fighter Gorgeous George using his bare hands. This leads to him being picked up by Turkish.
In a parallel storyline, Benicio Del Toro, who plays the gambling degenerate known as Franky Four Fingers, ends up stealing a diamond so he can split the worth with his cousin, Avi.
He's unaware however that the Russian mob are hot on his tail. While they are after the diamond, more events unfold, helping to bring all of the different stories into one as the ending creates a rollercoaster of emotions for the watcher. Snatch is one of the best gambling movies out there and with a strong British cast, it's not hard to see why it is still ranked as being one of the best movies as rated by fans.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels came out in 1998, and it was Guy Ritchie's first movie. It catapulted him and Jason Statham into the spotlight. The action takes place around a special card game which features some very shady characters. Even though a lot of people prefer Snatch to Lock Stock, it's safe to say that this is the movie that paved the way for Guy Ritchie and his directing career.
This movie is rich with cockney dialogue, and it provides some unforgettable moments within the gambling world. It's bewilderingly complex yet at the same time, an easy watch. The movie follows Eddy, who ends up being bankrolled by friends during a poker game exclusively for high rollers. He ends up going against Hatchet Harry who is both a gambling and porn kingpin.
In this movie, various casino games are shown that you can play for real money online, namely poker and three-card brag. Three-card brag isn't often shown in casino movies, but Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels portrays it very well in various scenes. In the poker game, Harry ends up cheating which causes Eddy to run up a huge amount of debt. Barry the Baptist, who is Harry's enforcer, explains that he is going to start cutting fingers off if the friends do not either pay up or hand over the pub that belongs to Eddy's father.
Eddy's father is played by WWE legend Sting, so it's not hard to see why fans love this movie. It's got a huge cast and helps to show the nitty-gritty thrills of the gambling world. Eddy is soon faced with a decision, and he ends up eavesdropping on the people who are in the next flat as they try to come up with a solution.
They have plans to rob a very rich drug dealer, so it's not hard to see where the movie goes from there. The film is a huge hit, and it even had a premier in America at the Sundance Festival. The plot is somewhat of a labyrinth as it's difficult to navigate at first but it soon ends up folding back on itself with some very unexpected connections.
Revolver
This movie is the third to be directed by Guy Ritchie, and it finishes the grand trio of movies that stars Jason Statham. It explores the underworld of gambling within British culture. In the movie, Jason Statham's character is finally out of prison, where he served time for a crime he did not commit.
In this movie, you will follow his character as he tries to gain revenge on the people who sent him down while integrating himself into the gangster culture. You'll also see numerous poker scenes, as the characters make their way through a casino in the opening scene. Although it's not known what casino it is, it really helps to set the scene for the gritty movie.
Characters in the background can be seen playing an assortment of slots, and as the movie continues, certain scenes are revisited to create a sense of continuity as to the gambling theme. Many people will tell you that this movie is nothing short of fantastic and it did help to solidify Jason Statham's place on the map. He was able to rocket his acting career as a result of doing this movie and it also allowed him to work with a lot of new and interesting directors.
Statham often credits Guy Ritchie as being the reason why he was able to go on and have such a successful acting career and Revolver is just one of the many great movies with Jason Statham showing his acting skills to the world.
Casino Royale
No gambling movie list would be complete without Casino Royale. Many James Bond films could have ended up here, but when you break them all down, none of them come close to the thrills that Casino Royale can provide.
In this movie, Karlovy Vary was used for the exterior of the Casino Royale. You also had the Grandhotel Pupp, which was used as the setting for Hotel Splendide. In this movie, you have the traditional game of baccarat replaced by Texas Hold 'Em. In the game of baccarat, each hand begins with 2 cards, with a third being added if required. The values of the cards are summed, and the hand closest to 9 wins. If you go beyond 9, the value returns to 0.
Texas hold 'em is similar, and one of the most popular variants out there. The Casino Royale movie does a great job at portraying this classic casino game. During the movie, you'll see two cards dealt to each player, and then five community cards placed in the middle. As the game goes on, players have to make tough decisions, with one wrong move resulting in a lost game. For Daniel Craig, this means everything is on the line.
Although this movie is a drawn-out montage, it shows a lot of high-class and luxury gambling action. It's based on the 1953 novel of the same name, and it's also one of the very first Bond movies to take its title directly from the Ian Fleming novel. Daniel Craig does a fantastic job of bringing this movie to life and it helped to solidify his legacy as being one of the best Bonds that ever were. There have been numerous adaptations of this movie, including a 1954 television episode followed by a 1967 film spoof.
At the end of the day, the 2006 release is classed as being the only official adaptation, so if you'd like to delve into the world of Ian Fleming then make sure that you give this movie a watch for yourself today. In the movie, Bond has to defeat the one and only Le Chiffre as he takes part in a very high-stakes casino game. The name of the game is poker, and it is funded by numerous terrorists. He is aided by Felix Leiter as well as Vesper Lynd, who both work as CIA agents. With plenty of action and a star-studded cast, this is one movie you won't want to miss out on. You can also test your skills at Texas Hold'em at some of the best minimum deposit casinos once you've watched this incredible film.
Croupier
Croupier stars Clive Owen, who is a struggling writer. He ends up taking a job in a luxury casino where he meets up with a high roller. He is then given a deal he is unable to refuse. The casino where he works is based on the Golden Lion, and it's on Bryanston Street in Marylebone, Central London. Today, the casino is known as DoubleTree by the Hilton Hotel.
Jack Manfred, who is the hero of Croupier, ends up going up against bettors and bosses, and he lives by the rule that in life, nothing is worth gambling on. He wants to be a writer and the movie takes the interesting slant of being narrated by him in third person. In this movie, you'll see Jack Manfred deal hands in several blackjack games, with the prime focus of the movie being on this particular game. As he works in a casino, however, numerous other themes are present, including slots, baccarat and even roulette.
With slicked-back hair and a cold detachment, his character adds much interest to the movie. Manfred's dad, played by Nicholas Ball, is a gambler and a drunk. He caused his son some problems in his early years but now lives in South Africa.
He lines up a job for his son, working in a London casino. Although Jack never gambles, he is skilled at manipulating cards, and he knows his way around a casino. He is very observant of dealers, and he also knows how certain people work. This helps to add a level of excitement to the movie, and as the events unfold, it's not hard to see why this movie is a firm favourite amongst people who love the genre.
This movie has a lot of heart, and it is similar to some of the other movies on this list. With that in mind, it also has its unique stamp, and it can portray the gambling culture very well. You will have to give it a watch for yourself if you want to find out if Clive Owen's character is able to survive the high-stakes games, but either way, it is a thrilling movie that leaves you wanting more.
This movie has also gone on to influence a lot of other casino movies, bolstering British cinema while cementing itself as being one of the best movies within its genre.
Conclusion
So as you can see, gambling movies that are set in Britain have been influential and over the years, they have spurred the release of new and exciting Hollywood blockbusters. If you have never really given much thought to watching the gambling movies listed above or if you're not sure if a movie of this genre is for you, then give the ones above a watch and you may change your mind. They feature some of the top British actors to ever grace the screen and the ending storylines help to add both thrill and adventure, creating the perfect experience for anyone who wants to experience high-stakes entertainment in its finest form.
